‘Dons’ will never be the
same. Or at least not for Joe
Ranalli, as he shared his
memories of his friend Ryan
McCall.
McCall and Ranalli had
their own language. They would
shorten everything. When they
got together only they could
understand what the other was
saying. They called McDonalds
“Dons” and a cheeseburger
“Doub Chey.” The two called
themselves, “The Bumb squad.”
“We ran, ate and slept and
that’s what we did,” Ranalli said.
“I will remember everything about
him.”
McCall’s fellow runners,
friends and family will always
remember him for his contagious
smile and his ability to make
everyone laugh. The University of
Tampa senior Excercise Science
Major was not only an athlete, but
a coach to thousands who impacted
everyone he met.
“You don’t understand how
this single act of violence affects
thousands of people across the
whole United States,” Ranalli said.

Marine
Science

24-25
114
RA’s

Most popular
declared major of
incoming Freshman

1509
Freshmen
schedules built

Florida’s Top College Paper

ut.minaret@gmail.com

Friends
Remember
Ryan McCall

See

260

Students per
Gateways classes

www.theminaretonline.com

WELCOME HOME

SPARTANS!
ve-in traffic
UT Security directs mo

UT Spartan Ba

nd welcomes ne

Incoming F

reshman mov

w students

on

Chapel constructi

es into Vaug

hn

By Charlie Hambos
Editor-in-chief

UT still has no definitive
plan for the property housing
the former Valencia Garden
Restaurant.
However, they have decided
to use a portion of the property for
commuter parking.
“We have not yet developed
long term plans for the property,”
said Eric Cardenas, Director of
Public Information.
Construction has begun on the
commuter parking only area and it
is expected to be finished in six
weeks according to Bill Neyland,
UT’s Senior Project Manager.
Many former patrons of the
Valencia Garden Restaurant were
concerned about UT’s future plans
of the structure citing the painted
murals and artwork.
Neyland said that the previous

[4]

The
Minaret

Howard Johnson Hotel Houses Record Number of Freshmen
As multiple universities are
still dealing with budget cuts
and enrollment decreases, the
University of Tampa doesn’t seem
to have a problem.
According to Residence Life,
260 students will be living in the
Howard Johnson Ashley Plaza
Hotel across the river. Last year,
approximately 70 students movedin to the Howard Johnson.
They were all moved on campus
after the fall room change.

Temporary
Plans: Parking
on New Land
Tract Purchase

See “Land Tract”

“McCall” [3]

By Charlie Hambos
Editor-in-chief

August 28, 2009

This year, Krystal Schofield
said the numbers should go down
to 200 when students are reassigned
after Open Room Change.
Schofield also said that there
will be some students in the
Howard Johnson all fall semester
but she couldn’t say if any students
would be living there during the
spring semester.There are 10 RAs
assigned to the Howard Johnson.
According to the information
on the Howard Johnson Hotel on
www.ut.edu students will have
access to all the hotels amenities.
Amenities at the hotel that

aren’t offered on campus (or not
completely) are cable TV with
HBO, housekeeping twice a week
including sheets and towels and
queen beds, free parking, table and
two chairs and a private bath.
They also have a fitness
room, outdoor pool, restaurant and
laundry machines. Storage space is
still limited.
The Great Debate: The Hojo vs.
On-Campus Housing
Fitness Room for Hotel Guests
vs. McNiff for all of Campus
Wireless Internet in every
room vs. Spotty signals in some

Inside ...

Residence Halls
Cable TV with HBO vs. Cable
TV
Housekeeping twice a week
(including sheets and towels) vs.
Once a week (not including sheets
and towels)
Private baths shared by two vs.
Bathrooms shared by two to five
Queen beds vs. Twin XL
beds
Table and 2 Chairs vs. Not
available
Free parking vs. $50 per year
on campus

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news, the latest trends, a diversion, the results and a voice.
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Oh, and welcome home.

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News

The Minaret | August 28, 2009
“McCall”: Front
McCall’s promising career as a
coach was tragically cut short early
Wednesday, Aug. 19.
A robber stopped him and his
friend, Mike Carahan, on their way
home and demanded money. Then,
he shot McCall.
It was Joe Ranalli’s 21st
birthday and after hanging at the
house for a while they decided
to go out to the Retreat. After an
hour or so passed, Ranalli and
Chris Catanach, a cross-country
teammate walked back home.
Later on, the lights popped
on in Ranalli’s room and when he
opened his eyes he saw Carahan.
“We got mugged, we got
mugged,” Carahan said. “I heard
gunshots. Ryan is missing.”
Carahan doesn’t go to UT, but
had come down with Ranalli and
McCall to help them move into
their new house in Tampa.
The three, McCall, Ranalli
and Carahan, were good friends
from Downingtown, Pa. and they
all went to Downingtown West
High School.
Ranalli, not believing what he
was hearing, ran outside and started
screaming Ryan’s name.
He called 911 and ran to the
bridge. By the time they got there,
three Tampa Police patrol cars were
looking for McCall.
When they found him it was
too late.
As time passed, Ranalli
continued trying to process what
happened and stayed away from
any news cameras.He and his
teammates made sure to spend time
with McCall’s family.

McCall (left) and Ranalli (farthest right)

“We lost Ryan, but I gained a
whole new family,” Ranalli said.
“We are all a part of his family
now.”
Ranalli knew McCall since
seventh or eighth grade. They
were on the same track team
and same cross country team at
Downingtown West High School.
McCall graduated one year before
him.
When they came to Tampa
for college everything changed.
Ranalli said when they first moved
into their house over the summer
they didn’t have cable but it didn’t
even matter because McCall served
as the entertainment.
They would all laugh and joke
around.
“It was one of the best times
we had together,” Ranalli said. “It
meant something.”
McCall was always so happy
and spirited and his friend said that
he put so many smiles on people’s
faces.

Photos Courtesy of Joe Ranalli

“He always had a smile from
ear-to-ear,” Ranalli said. “He
affected more people than I wish
I could have affected in my life in
21 years.”
Now that he is gone, it will
be left up to his teammates and
McCall’s friends to continue
affecting people’s lives.
“Our biggest thing is to make
sure we live the rest of our lives
the way Ryan would live his life,”
Ranalli said. “To live through it, we
can make Ryan live through us. Just
by the way we act and the way we
help people.”
Both Ranalli and McCall
helped coach Cross Country and
Track at Tampa Preparatory School
right across Cass Street.
S h e l l e y R u b e rg , Ta m p a
Preparatory Cross Country and
Track Head Coach, said that McCall
had made a tremendous impact on
the team.
“He was a positive guy,”
Ruberg said. “He built everybody

on the team up.”
McCall primarily worked with
the sprinter boys and he let them
know that they were worth a lot
to him.
“They all looked up to him,”
she said.
Coaching was his passion and
his future and you could tell Ruberg
said. He wanted to be a track coach
and this is why he was able to make
such an impact.
“He always came in with
that smile,” she said. “He was
here doing what he loved and it
definitely showed.”
Ruberg said that the team was
putting money together to put a
memorial stone on their campus.
They also signed a Cross Country
jersey and sent it up to the funeral
with Ranalli.
The team will be joining the
UT community during the campus
wide memorial service on Friday,
September 11. As of printing, the
time and location was unknown.
Check www.theminaretonline.com
for updates.
In reflecting his friend’s death,
Ranalli questioned like so many
people did.
“Why would
someone pick up
a gun and shoot
someone over a
couple of dollars?”
“ Yo u n e v e r
want to have anyone
see their friend die,
especially by a gun,”
he said.
He
isn’t
completely foreign
to th e q u es tio n .
During the summer,

3

Ranalli worked with the Juvenile
Justice System in Philadelphia.
Some of the kids he dealt with were
often the ones doing the shooting.
He doesn’t have the answer
to the question but wants to know
how we can put more effort into
helping these people. Ranalli said
that one way the community could
memorialize Ryan is by figuring
out how to stop the violence.
Ranalli has decided not to
leave the area where he lived with
McCall and will make sure that
nobody ever walks back home
regardless of the time of day. He
suggested that students should not
be afraid to call someone to pick
them up.
Ranalli also said that he and
his friends were not doing anything
wrong. They were walking back on
the same familiar path they used on
a daily basis.
The cross country team is
going to continue running even
though one of their best friends and
teammates will not be with them.
Ranalli said that he will think
about him before every race.

McCall (left) and Ranalli (center)

Clip this ad out for 10% off!
Not valid with any other offer. Expires Sept. 7, 2009. Excludes alcohol.

News

4
“Land”: Front
owners took everything out of
the building.
“There is no historical value
left,” Neyland said.
UT officials have still not
decided how the building will
be used.
“The university understands
it needs classroom space and are
looking into it,” Neyland said.
Cardenas said that the
building on the corner of
Kennedy Boulevard and Brevard
may be used for classroom and
office space in the fall.
On June 4, UT acquired
approximately 57,760 square
feet of the eastern portion of
the tract, totaling approximately
130,000 square feet.
The property extends from
Kennedy Boulevard on the
south, Brevard Avenue on the
east, North A Street on the north
and North Boulevard on the
west.
Originally, UT did not
disclose the name of the
company that helped them
purchase the tract.
It was reported later
that it was the Bailey Family

Foundation.
The
same
foundation awarded with the
Champion
of
Higher
Independent Education in
Florida (C.H.I.E.F) Award at
the commencement ceremony
in May.
The Bailey Foundation
has been a long time supporter
of UT, helping with such
projects as the R.K Bailey Arts
Studios and the Bailey Student
Investment Fund.
Eventually, the title for the
property which the foundation
holds will become UT’s.
The Global Message sent
out in early June did not specify
how UT would use the property
but that it would address
academic and other space needs
currently and in the future.
“Development would be
consistent with University
design and use standards that
have already taken place on
campus and along the Kennedy
Boulevard
corridor,”
the
message said.
The Valencia Garden
Restaurant has been the scene
for many Tampa politicians and
business people since it opened
in 1927.

After months of college prep
in high school you have finally
decided to become a part of the
Spartan family.
You’ve said your goodbyes
to your childhood friends and
packed up all the things you think
you needed to be a successful
college student. Some of you were
fortunate enough to have your
family take this journey with you,
but others had to trek this path
alone.
There will be many challenges
that you will face as a first year
student. The transition will not
be easy.
Sometimes you will feel
overwhelmed with school work,
homesick, and question your ability
to perform. However, you are lucky
you decided to come to UT.
Our campus is relatively
small compared to most schools in
Florida so it is easy to form bonds
with your peers. You will meet
people with similar interests as you
and some who are your complete
opposite.
UT is a melting pot of
Governance

I decided to join H.O.L.A (Hispanic Organization for Latin
Americans).I wanted to be apart of something that represented
my culture and educated the community about Hispanic culture.”
-Jessmy Lebron ’11

Student Government

Student Organization for MBA’s

Athletic/ Recreational

“PEACE helped me get more involved in activities on campus as
well as meet new people. I love to volunteer and the office offered a
variety of volunteer activities around Tampa for me to choose from.
-Janica Goulborne ‘11

Circle K International

Alpha Kappa Alpha

Saudi Club

“Getting involved in the Caribbean Student Association was
one of the best decisions I made as a first year student. I met some
of my closest friends there and had the opportunity to meet people
with similar cultural background. It was a little piece of home inside
of UT.” -Jenine Rossington ‘11

Alpha Chi Omega
Delta Gamma

Indian Cultural Association

Phi Eta Sigma

Straight From The Source:

Spartan Commuter Organization

Student Nursing Association

NAACP (National Association
for the Advancement of Colored
People)

For more information on these
organizations and the many others
we have on campus visit www.
ut.edu.
You can also go to the Office
of Student Leadership on the
second floor of the Vaughn Center
and they will be more than happy
to help you get involved.
And remember UT will
hopefully be your home away
from home for four years and even
longer so make your time here a
memorable one.

Alpha Phi Omega

HOLA (Hispanic Organization
for Latin Americans)

The Accounting Club

different cultures, backgrounds,
and personalities. You will meet
people from all over the world;
that is if you decide to leave your
dorm room.
There is a campus outside for
you to explore. So while it may be
tempting to stay in your room with
your new roomie that may not be
the best decision. There are tons of
campus organizations for you to
join. So come out of your comfort
zone and get involved. Trust me
you will not regret it.

Finally! You made it to the
beautiful University of Tampa.
Whether your journey was a block
away or halfway around the world,
you arrived at a completely new
environment.
The memories you will make
here will be priceless and they all
begin now.
We, as students, live in our
own little bubble here - taking
classes, eating with our roomies,
joining clubs, etc. We cheer our
peers on, we comfort one another,
but most of all, we grow together
as a family. Overtime, we even
develop our own lingo.
Here’s a guide to some unique
UT terms to help you on your way
through the walls of UT:
“O.S.L.E. (pronounced
Osslee)”
This refers to the Office
of Student Leadership and
Engagement, which is located in the
Vaughn Center, Room 215. They
are committed to providing students
with the tools and information to
get involved and stay active in the
UT community.
“The Caf”
Referring to the cafeteria, the
main dining hall is located in the
Vaughn Center, first floor.
“The Courtyard”
The large square of grass,
picnic tables and benches located
in between Austin, Brevard and
Vaughn. A couple times a month,
vendors will come and set up
booths full of jewelry, music and

“Reeves”
Reeves Theater is located on the
second floor of the Vaughn Center.
Every week, Student Productions
holds a movie night. Recitals,
presentations and meetings are
often held here as well.
“The Grille”
For those students looking for
a quick meal or a late-night bite,
The Grille 155 is open until 1 a.m.
in the Spartan Club, located on the
first floor of the Vaughn Center,
near The Courtyard.

“Stadium vs. Straz”
Stadium Center is the newest
dorm on campus located across
from the Cass Building and the
Computer Center. Straz Hall is
located across from the West
Parking garage. They are parallel
to each other, separated by the track
and baseball field.
“The Rat”
A historical place for UT, The
Rathskeller is located underneath
Plant Hall. Offering sub selections
and proudly brewing Starbucks
coffee, “The Rat” takes Spartan

dollars.

“A.C.E.”
The Academic Center for
Excellence is a support system
made up of professionals and
trained student-tutors. Students can
receive help in any class or subject
free of charge.
“McKay Beach”
Located on the strip of land
along the river and in back of
McKay Hall, many students gather
here in between classes to tan, relax
or play sports.
“Riverside”

This is the building across
from Plant Hall. The Post Office,
numerous classrooms and offices
are located in Riverside.
“ResLife”
The Office of Residence
provides students with a safe living
environment and is in charge of all
dorm-life for all UT students.
“I.P.O.”
Are you interested in studying
abroad? Or are you an international
student? Come to the International
Programs Office on the third floor
of Plant Hall.

Get the
Scoop on
Alcohol
Poisoning
The Minaret sits
down with an
Associate Dean
of Students to
get the surprising
facts on alcohol
and UT

By Mel Steiner
Asst. Editor-in-chief

The Minaret (M): What are
the signs of alcohol poisoning?
Gina Firth (GF): The first
sign you want to look for is if
the person is passed out, barely
conscious or can’t seem to focus.
The next sign most people
miss – vomiting. They think that
vomiting is a good sign but it’s not.
Heavy vomiting puts people at risk
for aspiration, when that vomit gets
stuck in your lungs.
You also want to watch their
breathing. Slow breathing or 10
breaths or less per minute are bad
signs.
And finally if they have
bluish skin or if they feel cold and
clammy.
M: How could someone

prevent alcohol poisoning?
GF: Don’t get drunk! But
realistically, no drinking games or
shots. Shots hit you quickly. Know
what is in your drinks and know the
equivalents.
Don’t mix alcohol with other
drugs. Also, never drink anything
you can’t see made. And watch
your drink at all times.

awareness presentations in the
Gateways program for freshmen.

M: What is the number one
thing that gets students more aware
of the dangers of alcohol?
GF: Unfortunately one piece
is if someone dies because it makes
people pay attention.
It’s not that we want a tragedy
though, we want a good year! But
M: If you choose to drink, what students need to know that alcohol
can you do to stay in control?
poisoning is life-threatening.
GF: Look at your body size
and know your limits. Follow the
M: What doesn’t work when
rules:
trying to get the message across?
-Alternate between drinks
GF: It’s hard to measure
with water or a non-alcoholic the impact of alcohol education
beverageset limit based on because we can’t isolate what’s
size.
working and what’s not. But what
-Consume no more than one to I can say is that I haven’t found
two drinks per hour.
anything that doesn’t help.
-Assign someone to be the
designated sober person.
M: Is it true that most alcohol
The first thing that goes is your poisonings occur within the first
judgment.
couple of weeks of the school
year?
M: Has UT been working on
GF: Definitely. Students are
any different alcohol policies?
getting used to being on campus
G F : N o , w e ’ v e o n l y alone. Also, many clubs in the area
clarified titles of sections and are 18 and older. They are very lax
stress the Amnesty Policies in following their policies and serve
found in the Student Rights and alcohol to underage people.
Responsibilities.
They have specials like
Along with the alcohol article, ‘Women Drink For Free All Night’
there are now medical amnesty and have deals on cheap alcohol.
policies for both sexual assault
It’s incredibly dangerous
and drugs.
and easy, and puts you at risk of
Just watch out for each other. becoming a victim.
No one’s going to get in trouble – it
The second highest occurrence
won’t go on your or your friend’s time would be Gasparilla.
permanent record. It just becomes
health concern.
M: What do students
misunderstand most about
M: Aside from the Alcohol alcohol?
EDU program, what is UT doing to
GF: Students who haven’t
prevent alcohol poisoning?
had a lot of drinking experience
GF: We have regular awareness in the past often have very little
campaigns that we run all year long. knowledge about the risks of
RA’s are trained as first responders alcohol. Students also don’t realize
and are asked to talk about it in their how dangerous drinking games
meetings with their residents.
are as well as consider the risks of
We also incorporate alcohol taking shots.

Making the Most Out of College

By Charlie Hambos
Editor-in-chief

No one thought it was
possible, but it happened. Getting
into Oxford University has been
made easy.
Former Minaret staff member
and University of Tampa Alumnus,
Simos Farrell created a tool for all
college students to make the most
out of their college career and even
study at Oxford.

Farrell began writing “Oxford
Made Easy” after leaving Oxford
during his semester abroad with
the Honors at Oxford Program.
“I thought it was a really great
experience,” Farrell said.
His experiences as a student at
Oxford and at UT inspired him to
write the book for all students.
“I wanted to spread the word
to students who would otherwise
lose the opportunities,” Farrell
said. “It’s a general
strategy for making your
most at a university.”
Farrell came up
with the top three ways
Freshman can get
the most out of you
University experience.
The first is to
be aware of your
interests and look
at the opportunities
available. For
example, get involved
on campus.
The second is to
not focus specifically
o n o n e m a j o r.
Explore all kinds of
sources.
The third is
when you develop
your interests, to

get an independent study with a
professor.
Although Farrell only spent
one semester at Oxford, he has
researched with several institutions
and their various study abroad
requirements.
He also revisited some of the
faculty at Oxford to finish up the
book over the summer.
He calls it a “labor of love”
and it is something that he hopes
to continually update and revise.
Sor far he has received positive
feedback from the book.
After graduating from UT,
Farrell began his post-graduate
work at Brandeis University and
has since pursued his writing with
the main goal of publishing this
book.
For more information on the
book visit oxfordeasy.com.
Farrell also offers career
service advice which includes
writing cover letters and resumes.
For more information on his career
advice visit resumeronin.net.

GO ONLINE
Let us know what you
think! Leave a comment
at theminaretonline.com

The Minaret | August 28, 2009

Fast Facts

In 2008, University of Tampa students took
an anonymous and completely confidential
survey on their opinions on the norms on
campus. These “CORE” surveys asked about
certain myths associated with alcohol and
drugs versus their own personal decisions.
The statistics are in and here are the results:
Most UT male students drink alcohol once a week or
less (69%)
Most UT female students drink alcohol one time a
week or less (83%)
65% of UT females drink two times a month of less
MYTH
71.5% of UT students think that students drink three
times a week or more
REALITY
78% of UT students drink once a week or less
MYTH
63% of UT students think that students use marijuana
once a week or more
REALITY
78% of UT students have not used marijuana within
the last 30 days
95% of all UT students have not used any other illegal
drug (other than marijuana) in the past year
78.4% of UT students have not used tobacco in the
past 30 days
71% of UT students have never missed a class due to
alcohol or drug use in the last year
82.4% of UT students report that alcohol does not
make them sexier
94.3% of UT students feel safe on campus

(UWIRE) Advertisements for
“Taking Woodstock” read, “It’s a
trip,” and though the destination is
worth it, the road to get there is a
long and heavy wait.
Director Ang Lee (“Brokeback
Mountain”) is best known for
capturing the humanistic and
psychological struggle of all his
characters. The film is filled with
scenes and nuances of the era,
utilizing many effects to capture the
feeling that came with 1969.
Following the actual 40th
anniversary of the real Woodstock,
the film takes the whole lifealtering experience of the festival
and focuses it on the coming-ofage of its central character, Elliot
Tiber (Demetri Martin), the man
responsible for making Woodstock
happen.

Based off Tiber’s best-selling
autobiography of the same name,
the movie follows his struggle to
live his own life while fulfilling
an obligation to aid his parents in
their ailing motel, the El Monaco,
in White Lake, New York.
As head of White Lake’s

watch her eat a “special” brownie
and see what happens.
Following the approval of the
festival, chaos ensues as the town
is literally flooded by hippies of the
clothed and nude variety. With the
influx of people creating massive
traffic jams and food shortages,
Lee truly captures the communal
peace, love and psychedelic trips
that defined the era.
He accomplishes this not only
through small vignettes like Tiber’s
experience with LSD but also
through a technique of splitting
the screen into two points of view.
Though the view may create a little
confusion, it is also an interesting
way to effectively provide an
insider’s perspective of all the
different elements going on within
a single scene.
Other recognizable characters
in the film include Emile Hirsh
(“Into the Wild”), Eugene Levy
(“American Pie”) and Liev

Schreiber (“Wolverine”).
Schreiber, who naturally
extends a physical appearance like
that of Rambo, plays cross-dressing
bodyguard Vilma, who aids Tiber
in becoming comfortable with his
sexuality. All these minor characters
add some richness to the film’s
central storyline, but otherwise
they are one-dimensional.
Besides the chaotic conflict
of the concert’s overall planning
and the town’s sudden population
growth, Tiber is also trying to come
to terms with his sexuality, which
is downplayed a little too heavily
in the film.
Don’t expect to ever see the
actual concert; the film is all about
what happens backstage, behind
the throngs of concertgoers and
promoters. It goes all the way
back to the transformation of the
individual.

I was sweaty, sun
fatigued, and sincerely
regretting my decision
to decide that at the age
of 19 I’d join the ranks
of 14 year olds and their
mothers in lawn chairs at
an outside venue during
July in Florida.
In any case, I was
approached by a blogger
to have my photo taken
for her site.
Being the only one
that isn’t dressed like a
blind person with no sense
of irony that was told to put
on whatever he grabbed
at a Zumiez attracts some
(photo: Amber Nussbaum. flickr. com)
attention, I guess.
At least she told me it was
for her blog, and I really hope
So much like capture and
it was. But in any case, you never
enslavement, putting in that bit of
know who will approach you for
extra effort isn’t so bad once you
what you’re wearing and strike up
get used to it.
interesting conversation.
An example of this was during
In the age of the blog, street
Warped Tour this year.
style is the hot topic, and inspiration

can be gained by the hodgepodge
of styles seen on ordinary people
worldwide.
Being the advocate for
these types of things, I’ve found
that sites such as the Satorialist
and Stockholm Street Fashion
capture the various ways people
dress themselves, whether it be
completely ridiculous or wholly
remarkable.
Here at The Minaret, we are
hoping to amp up the Style section
with this very type of thing.
So if you’re dressed well one
day and we happen to be out with a
camera, you might be asked to lend
your great tastes to an article.
All for fun, and all for
inspiration.
Now go ahead and leave your
dorm at 2 p.m. wearing your
pajamas.
I’m not judging.

Chamber of Commerce, Tiber
approves the permit to hold the
Woodstock Festival in White Lake
after the festival loses its permit to
an adjacent town.
In his first full-length movie
as a lead character, actor-comedian
Martin plays the awkward, waitingto-get-out-of-his-shell part nicely.
There is an understanding to his
situation in trying to follow his
own path despite a rather forced
obligation to his parents.
But it is only when Woodstock
comes into his life that Tiber and
the movie audience begin to wake
up.
The audience is able to sense
this conflict in the beginning of
the film as it drags along Tiber’s
experience with his overbearing
mother (Imelda Staunton). In
fact, her character as a grouchy
immigrant shows the most
interesting transformation and
dramatic comedy in the movie. Just

On the Look Out for an Original Style On the UT Campus
By Kristen Vasquez
Staff Writer

Welcome freshman to the
University of Tampa!
Are you ready to assimilate?
A proper introduction to UT’s
style should include at least five
Ed Hardy shirts, with 75 percent
of those including rhinestone tigers
or geishas, a pair of designer jeans
and various pairs of Victoria’s
Secret sweatpants (extra points if
the word PINK is advertised on
your derriere).
This could set you back a few
dollars, but no one said looking like
a tool was cheap.
All right, all right, that is a
broad generalization.
But one cannot deny the
surplus of people dressed in the
same nondescript and utterly
reprehensible style.
I understand “it’s early”, or that
you are a triple biochemistry major
with much more important things

than clothes on your mind,
but is personal representation
lost entirely on campus?
Growing up with a
militantly strict Puerto Rican
mother, I was never allowed
to leave the house looking
anything but presentable
because, in her words, “You
never know who is watching”
as well as, “You represent
me,” and “No you can not
wear all black.”
While this led to
endless years of depression
and paranoia, feeling like
there is a kind of fashion
KGB watching my every
move and making snarky
comments about how I look
like something Santino Rice
designed on an acid trip, I
have come to terms that you really
don’t know who’s watching.
Whether it be a style blogger
who wants your photo or a stalker
who wants to chain you up in a
basement.

People Can Die From Alcohol Poisoning
If you encounter a person who exhibits one or more of these symptoms
CALL: 9-911(on-campus) or 911 off-campus. This is a medical emergency.
While waiting for medical transport:
Gently turn the intoxicated person on his/her side
Maintain that position by placing a pillow in the small
of the person’s back. This is important to prevent aspiration should
the person vomit.
Stay with the person until medical help arrives.
Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning
Unconsciousness or semi-consciousness.
Slowed or irregular breathing. Slow respiration,
eight or less breaths per minute or lapses of
more
than 10 seconds.
Cold clammy or pale or bluish skin.
Repeated episodes of vomiting.

Medical Amnesty Policy at UT

If someone needs help due to overuse of alcohol, it is University
policy that no student seeking medical attention for intoxication
or overdose shall be formally charged for use or underage possession of alcohol. For the full policy, please see:
http://www.ut.edu/student-rights-and-responsibilities/

Arts & Entertainment

The Minaret | August 28, 2009

Take a Listen to Owl City

By Zach Fraser
Staff Writer

Touring in the wake of the bands
second studio release, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ocean Eyes,â&#x20AC;? Owl
City, the musical vehicle of Christian-emo
rocker, Adam Young, blends bubblegum
pop and electronica together to produce
some of the blandest material in a
struggling genre.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ocean Eyes,â&#x20AC;? is like a big
jawbreaker, fun at first, but after awhile
it starts to make your
tongue bleed.
The album
opens with
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cave In,â&#x20AC;?
a desperate
attempt to catch
the listener and
draw them in for
what is roughly
a 53 minute
disaster in
musicianship.
Immediately
after the first
track fades,
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Bird and
Wormâ&#x20AC;? chimes in,
sounding like the
b-side to a Kidz
Bop album as Young sings, â&#x20AC;&#x153;And weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll
enjoy picking albums in late September
like weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done for years. Then, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll take
a long walk through the cornfield and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll
kiss you between the ears.â&#x20AC;?
There are only a few songs worth a
detailed listen on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ocean Eyes.â&#x20AC;?
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Firefliesâ&#x20AC;? and the previously
recorded â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Saltwater Roomâ&#x20AC;? show
glimpses of what could have been if
Young would have chosen to produce

music that appeals to an age group older
than 12 and 13 year olds.
But donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be so easily fooled, as soon
as the good songs end, the bad ones come
right back at you.
When singing about a visit to the
dentist on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dental Careâ&#x20AC;?, Young states,
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Golf and alcohol donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mix, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
why I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t drink and drive. Because good
grief, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d know out my teeth and have to
kiss my smile goodbye.â&#x20AC;?
Sadly enough, lyrics like these plague
most of the
entire album
as if Young
truly believed
that they were
clever.
All in
all, Owl City
has been
stirring up a
lot of buzz
in the music
industry
for some
time, but
unfortunately
for Young
and company
heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
proven that all the
commotion was more like a sugar rush
than a true buzz, quick and to the point,
then a disastrous crash after.

Follow us on Twitter
twitter.com/Minaret

Going to the Movies?

In the mood to see a movie? Here are a few of the best locations in the area to see your
next flick.

AMC Theatres Veterans Freeway
9302 Anderson Rd.
(888) 262-4386

Channelside Cinemas 10
615 Channelside Drive
(813) 221-0700

4
ore 1 e Plaza
h
s
t
s
We estshor
210 W 62-4386
2
(888)

9

A Taste of Tampa

Welcome Spartans! For some of you, being away from home for the first time
may be difficult. Especially if you are away from a good homecooked meal! But
youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in luck becuase Tampa is home to some of the best resturants and food joints
around. So here at The Minaret, we dicided to take the guess work out for you and
compiled a list of our favorites just for you. Bon Appetit!

owhere in the United States
can you walk down to the
movie theater or grocery store
and pass a 900-year-old Greek
Orthodox Church or look down
a street in a big city and see
a real live archeological site.
This was a daily experience in
Athens, Greece.
I studied abroad with the Journey to Greece Program sponsored by the American Hellenic
Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA). Our classes
were offered by the University
of Indianapolis Athens Campus

right in the heart of the old city,
Plaka.
For the first two and a half
weeks we took classes. In my
EU and Greek Foreign Policy
class we discussed multiple issues that aren’t even discussed
in our media. For example,
while we were there the Turkish
Airforce was flying planes over
Greek islands. This is a major
issue and a conflict whether big
or small could escalate very
quickly.
After the time spent in classes

Photos and story by Charlie Hambos

we traveled through Greece
stopping at various places before
arriving in Istanbul, Turkey.
Our main goal there was to meet
the Ecumenical Patriarch of
Constantinople, Bartholomew I.
He is the head of the Orthodox
Church around the world. The
Orthodox Church in Turkey is
under serious pressure from the
government.
Over 6,000 properties have
been stolen from the church
and we had the opportunity to
visit an orphanage that was one

of these properties. Located
on Büyükada, one of the
Prince Islands off the coast
of Istanbul, it is the largest
wooden structure in Europe.
It is in complete disarray
and falling apart.
Visiting the orphanage
was one of the most
heart-wrenching experiences I had. Exploring
the various of issues in
Greece and Turkey, and
seeing them hands on
was experience I will
never forget.

The Temple of
Poseidon at
Sounio.

The Hagia Sophia
in Istanbul, Turkey
was once a great
church and then a
mosque but now is
only a museum.

St. Stefanos Monastery in Meteora,
Greece which was converted to a nunnery and has been since 1961. Meteora
is home to some of the most important
monasteries in Greece. They all sit on
massive rocks, some are even secluded from any direct land access.

he coast of
端y端kada offtt

fB

The Island o

Mt. Likavito

s in Athens,

ley

Istanbul, Turk

Greece.

One of the many churches on the
Greek Island of Aegina. Besides
this one, Aegina boasts the largest church in Greece.

Tech Jerks: Four Ways Not to Make Friends This Semester
By Shannon Grippando
Staff Writer

With a new semester brings
new chances to meet people and
make friends. But technology can
get in the way.
It’s during these situations
that certain personalities surface,
proceeding to annoy everyone
around them.
Following are four tech jerks
that you should both avoid being
around and becoming.

1

The Wi-fi Hog
Despite what we were all
told on our tours of UT, not every
floor of the dorms has wi-fi.
So some students bring routers
to create their own hot spots where
UT’s putters out.
Usually you’re in luck living
near one of these net-bearers. But
some people can get stingy, and
this is where the Wi-fi Hog marks
his territory.
For whatever reason (less
lag during “Call of Duty”, faster
movie downloads, paranoia) some
Spartans may lock their networks
and not share the key with anyone,
not even their roommates.
Come on, bro. Not cool.
You’re blatantly establishing a
“mine versus yours” environment
in a room where up to four people’s
asses share the same toilet seat.
That’s going to be problematic.
Net security is one thing, but
hording a hotspot all for yourself
is another.
A suggestion: pass the key to

The problem with
oblivious gossip is
that they talk or
text at the worst
time, i.e. when
communicating to
another person
face-to-face is
necessary.
T
h
e
Oblivious Gossip
will inevitably be in
front of me at Salsa
Rico, not paying
attention
to
the worker
asking for
their order.
This
not only
holds the
line up,
T h e Oblivious Gossip but ticks
“And I was all like, ‘Are the worker
you kidding me?
When Cindy was
done in there it
reeked worse than
the Hillsborough
River.
Like
totally.’”
This type of
conversation or a
myriad of text-tapping can
be heard in Salsa Rico or
off just enough to
Jazzman’s lines on campus.
I’m not one of those people put half the beans
that thinks texting and talking on my burrito than
on the phone is “what’s wrong there should
T h e Boomer
Hi, I pay over $100,000 with this generation,” a “waste of be--and I
love my
to go to UT for four years. I expect time,” or “the devil.”
But there’s a time and place b e a n s my classes to be informative and
for everything.
worthwhile.
your roomies and people you meet
and trust that ask for it on your
floor.
Who knows, it might get you
a free beverage one night. “You’re
the dude that gave us wi-fi on our
floor. Dude, lemme get you a cold
one.”
T h e Common-Room
TV Overlord
A 64-inch Sony plasma
TV in the common room? Sweet
mother of Sykes, the roommate
who brought that should be your
new best friend.
That is, unless, they get all
Nazi Germany on your ass.
It’s thoughtful and convenient
when a roommate adds something
to the common room.
A mini-fridge, microwave,
or a poster of Angelina Jolie in
a thong are things everyone can
enjoy. A TV shouldn’t be any
different.
The argument always comes
up: “It’s my TV. I bought it. I can
use it whenever I want.”
This, of course, is preceded
by a fight between roommates
currently watching a football
game and the buyer of the TV
wanting to interrupt to watch the
latest episode of “Cake Boss.”
It’s a sticky situation, but the
fact is if it’s in the common room,
it’s up for grabs.

2

Distractions
are
not
acceptable.
I’m talking to you, guy with
headphones blaring during class.
It’s cool if you don’t care
about wasting “your” (read “your
parent’s”) money by blowing off a
class you find frivolous.
But don’t bring me into your
lackluster approach to education.
If you’re going to play your
music during class and still want
a willing study-buddy by the end
of the semester for all the material
you’ve missed (or someone that
even tells you the time), you’ve
got two options: A) Play your
music at a library whisper or B)
Pick music that doesn’t suck.
None of that Kanye West,
Lady Ga Ga bull.

the -because they’re venting about
how young people don’t have
any respect any more.
Just put the person
on mute for a second.
Or put the texting
on pause. People will
appreciate you a lot more
for it-- both restaurant
workers and students.

Gemini (May 21-June 21)
It’s a jungle out there. Can
you direct traffic? Maybe, but
don’t venture out there unless
you’re up to it.
Cancer (June 22-July 22)
More hassles occur as
everybody settles into a new
routine. There may be some
short tempers, so watch out,
OK?
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
Don’t get involved in a
clandestine affair. If you’re in
one, get out. Secrets made now
will be revealed.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Stick to the rules. Discipline
is required, from both you and
the others. Do what you can to
maintain it.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Look at your situation from
another point of view. You’ll see
how you can better understand
things. That will help.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Too much confusion out
there. Hide out if you can.
You like stability. Settle into
a comfortable spot and make
plans.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec.
21)
Make sure you have the
facts. Have everything you
need to win the argument. Be
prepared.
19)

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan.

There’s a new source of
income nearby. You can find it if
you look around. It’s something
you already have.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb.
18)
You might think friends are
messing things up in an effort to
help. The outcome is positive,
though, so don’t worry.
20)

Pisces (Feb. 19-March

If your suggestion doesn’t
go over, don’t give up. Present
it as many times as it takes to get
your point across.

Week ending August 25, 2009

#1 Album

Top tracks

by Austin Daniels

( ) Last week’s ranking in top five

United States
(1) 1
(2) 2

Party in the U.S.A. s -ILEY #YRUS
I Gotta Feeling s "LACK %YED 0EAS
Only By the
Night
Kings of Leon

Here we are Spartans, another year has started. For some
students this is their first semester and others it will be their last.
Each can tell their tales of the
great learning experiences under
the minarets of Plant Hall and
others have great expectations of
what’s to come.
It is truly sad that we began
our year with the death of Ryan
McCall. He was a true Spartan.
Coaching was his passion and he
was already living it while coaching and touching the lives of the
track team at Tampa Preparatory
and his friends and family. Let’s
live like Ryan did. Pick each other
up, be positive and keep a smile
on our face.
Hopefully, this event will
open a dialogue within the community and see how we can start
helping the situation from its
core. There are areas very close to
the university where students live
that can be considered to be not so
safe. How can we find a beneficial
solution for all parties?
The university’s primary
concern other than the education
of their students should be safety
of those both on and off campus.
No university community ever
wants to see something like this
happen.
Campus Safety and Security runs regular patrols during
these late night and early morning hours. However, we are still

an open campus and people can
come in and out freely.
Security can do a lot of the
work, but including students, staff
and faculty; there are a lot of eyes
on campus and everyone needs
to keep an eye out. Be careful
who you let in behind you. Think
smart. Be responsible. Students
need to be aware of what’s going
on around them.
The University of Tampa
continues to grow and construction on campus seems to be a
never ending. In an effort to cope
with the increased enrollment every year, UT doesn’t seem to have
a choice but to not stop and continue to expand.
The early summer purchase
of the Valencia Garden has some
promising future plans but nothing has been announced other
than some office space and 68
temporary commuter parking
spaces which will be here in six
weeks. We’re sure plans are in the
works for classroom space and
we think UT would benefit the
most from it.
The opportunities here are
boundless. Explore the area. Get
off campus. See what’s around.
Take a bus, take your car or your
friend’s car and see what’s out
there.
Oh yeah, don’t forget about
classes. After all, that’s why
you’re here. We promise some
can be fun and exciting. It all de-

pends on how you step foot in a
class on the first day. Generally,
it will set the pace for the rest of
the year. Of course, there will be
tests that you didn’t exactly study
enough for or quizzes you didn’t
expect but you have to tough it
out, move on and do better next
time.
The Minaret is also starting
new and fresh. We are student-run
and only student-run. Nobody can
change that. We are just like you,
students. The new theminaretonline.com is new and exciting. We
apologize for any recent additional e-mails. We are continually
testing our capabilities, but we
don’t want to lose our readers in
the process.
In an effort to cut costs, we
have gone to a smaller paper size.
You won’t notice much of a difference but there is.
Check us out on Twitter and
Facebook. Follow us, poke us,
send us a message and come by
the office. We are the student
voice of the University of Tampa.
The Minaret wants to know
what concerns you have. What do
you care about? How can we help
you?
Oh and how would you like
to see The Minaret at one of your
local hangouts? Well, we might
be heading that way.
Pick us up. Tell your friends.
Tell your mom and your dad.
Good luck and have a great year!

Bars, Strobe Lights, Sports Brighten Tampa’s Nightlife (sometimes)

By John Jacobs
Columnist

Out of all the colleges I’ve attended—
one—I can easily say Tampa has the most
exciting night life.
With clubs, bars, house parties, movie
theaters and three major sports teams within
a few miles of campus, it’s very hard to be
bored on any given night.
There’s Channelside in downtown
Tampa; this spot has many classy
restaurants, a bowling alley, a theater and
the more upscale bars and clubs. But you
must be 21 to go to any of these. If your’re
not (or at least your real ID says you’re
not) don’t plan on spending much time
here until you’re a junior or senior.
Where you will be if you’re planning
on going to a club (legally) is Ybor.
Never heard of it? Yeah, there’s a
reason.
I’m not saying it’s a “bad part” of
Tampa, but if you go to Ybor on a weekend
and don’t see a fight or a stabbing it’ll be
considered a good night.
But if you want to see old Chevy’s with
30-inch rims and obnoxiously unnecessary
paintjobs blasting Lil Wayne (and who
wouldn’t?) then Ybor is the place for you!
On Ybor’s main street there are a few
clubs which stick out. First off there’s Club
Prana, which is the largest in Ybor with
five different floors to choose from.
Imagine any club you would see in
a rap video and that’s Club Prana. Now
imagine anyone over 18 with $10 cover.
Not so cool anymore is it?
Although it’s not always that crowded,
there are nights when you can come in with

a group of friends, take ten steps away and
then never see them again.
Prana also has a floor dedicated only to
dance and techno music which is a perfect
spot to play this timeless game with your
friends: “Guess who’s on ecstasy” Here’s a
hint: everybody.
The Honey Pot is another good one.
It’s only one floor with a variety of music
throughout the night. But here’s the selling
point: There’s a stage in the middle of
the floor where “celebrities” come and
perform!
Are you as excited as I am? Last year,
I was lucky enough to see Enigma from
“America’s Best Dance Crew” perform,
which is kind of a big deal for anyone who
watched them lose on the first episode.
Moving on from Ybor (which I’m sure
you’ll all do too) if you want to go to a bar
literally a few hundred feet from campus
there’s the Drunken Monkey, formerly
Study Hall.
Ninety-nine percent of the kids there
go to University of Tampa (1% undercover
cop/“that guy looks way too old to be
here”), so you’ll probably see a lot of your
friends there. The best part is the karaoke.
Yes, most weekends you can walk in to
find a group of drunk girls singing Britney
Spears (how original!) or at some point in
the night a few guys will sing “The Thong
Song.”
If you’re looking for some place to go
on Saturday night, Chez Bryce on Davis
Island has become a popular spot.
It’s only a short taxi ride from campus
making it convenient for all UT students.
The best way to describe Chez Bryce
is to imagine a closed down Olive Garden
(the restaurant) with beer pong tables, a
keg and a giant fountain outside.
Sounds crazy right?
Basically people stand around and talk
about how awesome the fountain is.
“Did you see the fountain?” “Yeah it’s
so cool!” “Yeah it’s awesome isn’t it…so

you want to come back to my dorm and
have sex?” “Obviously.”
If going out to clubs, bars
and Chez Bryce (whichever
category that would be
under) isn’t your thing,
there are always frat
parties!
If you plan on
drinking
(which
god forbid you do
if you’re under
21) don’t count
on drinking at the
party.
Waiting for the
keg is like waiting in
line at the DMV. By
the time you get your
first beer you’ll realize
you’re late for your first
class Monday morning.
Finally we come to
Tampa’s professional sports
teams.
With the Rays, Lightning and Bucs,
there’s always a game you could go to or
watch on TV if you decide to stay in.
The Lightning even has a deal for UT
students, selling tickets in the upper levels
for under $10.
Tampa offers you something to do
every night of the week—not that I think
you would because right now you’re
reading the school newspaper, which shows
you have some sort of interest in learning.
Even with so much to do around the
city of Tampa, there will still be those
Friday nights where you order in pizza and
end up watching “Intervention” on A&E
in your dorm until three in the morning
thinking, “God I wish there was more to do
around here.”

Have an opinion?
Want to be heard?
Disagree with a
stance?
Email
minaret.commentary@
gmail.com

“And on the seventh day He
rested.”
Even God knows the virtues
of kicking back and relaxing, and
in the bustle of college life it’s
easy to lose sight of the simple
joy of relaxation.
This is my third year at UT
and, despite adrenaline-filled
nights dancing for hours at clubs,
setting up open mics and writing
for this paper—all fulfilling in
their own way—oftentimes I’m
happiest reading a book in Plant
Park.
Trust me; this is hardly
throw-away advice.
Last year, I was the editor-

in-chief of “Quilt”, UT’s
literary magazine, treasurer for
Sigma Tau Delta, a member of
GLTSBA, and, of course, putting
in hours every Tuesday night at
The Minaret.
Take into account my
eighteen credit hours and my
love of dancing (not that I had
much time to go clubbing) and
that’s vast hours of my life
claimed.
I don’t regret working that
hard at all; I’m passionate about
all those organizations, and it
was worth every hour I invested
in them.
However, it’s easy to imagine
how passion can transform into
stress.
I would stare at my computer
screen—half an exegesis on the
New Testament done and a poetry
portfolio to finish—literally
tearing out my hair, leaving small
curls from my afro all over the
floor.

I would think: Derrick, what
have you gotten yourself into?
All this work and you’ve
missed an entire season of Ugly
Betty! That’s time you’ll never
get back!
But, before I exploded (or
became bald) I’d call my friend
Nicole and we’d have ice cream
in Stadium; or, I’d text my pal

survive was to know when to
relax.
Relaxation is a key part of a
balanced breakfast…or…college
experience.
But don’t take it too far. By
take a break, I don’t mean party
all the time, or neglect your
obligations in favor of watching
“Repo: The Genetic Opera” for
the seventh time.
Relaxing means to take a
step back from it all. Find some
“me time” away from everything
and do what you love to do:
read, paint, jam on your guitar in
Image by Ibrahim Lujaz (flickr.com) Vaughn Courtyard, or take a nap.
So when your two research
Lindsey and shoot the breeze
talking about the joys of softball. papers and a Powerpoint
It’s important to know when presentation are due the same
week as your finals this semester,
to zone out for a while.
don’t forget to step back, breathe
Ensure you make time for
yourself throughout your college and relax for a while and think
to yourself: This is good. This is
life.
very good.
I heard “Derrick you do too
much” so many times last year
and the only way I managed to

Hard Lesson: International Freshmen Learn to Call New Country Home
By Carolina Medelin
Special to The Minaret

I came to UT from Colombia
a year ago, and, though I had been
to the U.S. as a tourist, adjusting
to life here was a whole different
experience.
This year, the University
of Tampa will open its doors to
hundreds of freshmen—including
international students from more
than 100 countries, who will have
to face stronger changes than their
American schoolmates.
For most students, it’s the
first time that they leave home;
however it is not the same as when
you come from outside the U.S.
All the challenges that
international freshmen have to go
through can be summarized by the

word “integration.”
Being in a different country
implies going through this
assimilation process in order to
be seen not as foreign but as a
common student.
Divisions between American
and international students are very
visible during freshmen year.
For American freshmen,
college comes along with
something they refer to as the
“college experience.”
It is not unusual to meet
students who do not know which
major they will pursue, but rather
claim to be at the University to
live that college experience.
This includes, of course,
partying hard, drinking a lot and
maybe even experimenting with
other kind of stuff.
It is not that international

students do not go to parties, drink
or enjoy those kinds of things. Most
of us just have a different ways of
defining the college experience,
different ways of handling it.
In general, we do not drink
with the purpose of getting drunk
or blacking out, like some of
American freshmen who seem
to think that to be wasted at a
party is something to be proud
of or something you can tell to
everybody.
At the beginning of the
semester, there is a lot of narrowmindedness among freshmen.
Most American freshmen
think they know perfectly how
things are like in other countries, so
they accord clichés and stereotypes
to international students.
But international freshmen
also have a lot of misconceptions

about how life is like in America,
and may classify American
students under a pattern that is
most of the time far from the
truth.
This situation creates certain
communities: freshmen tend
to stay with people with whom
they can keep their identities and
somehow feel “accepted” and just
like all the others in the group.
Those
communities
are
generally limited to a certain
ethnicity or country of origin.
This phenomenon interferes
in the process of the integration
of international freshmen, whom
at the beginning can be afraid of
mixing among other groups.
What has been hardest for
me, and most of my international
friends, is getting used to the food.
Just as there is the “freshmen

fifteen,” there should be another
one called the International
Freshmen Fifteen as we really lose
weight because of the food!
Food on campus is not what
most of the students are used to,
more so International ones, and it
is really a hard change from our
type of food.
It will definitely take some
time for international freshmen to
get used to their new lives in the
States.
However, most of the time
this is a successful process and
we really get to love Tampa and to
feel at home.
That does not mean that
there is a complete integration,
as communitarianism remains
very strong, and it is very rare to
see international and American
students hanging out together.

Commentary

18

The Minaret | August 28, 2009

One Student Shares Her Freshman Memories: the Good and the Bad
By Nicole Robinson
Columnist

My freshman year, I was
lucky enough to have the biggest
room on the fourth floor of Vaughn.
When I got there, I lavished in
the bountiful space that I had in
my room and arranged all my
new shiny Target items just so.
Little did I know the spectrum of
emotions and events that I would
experience during my time there.
That one semester I had a
roommate who vacuumed while
I was sleeping and asked for
hugs at 4:00 in the morning, a
food-thieving suite mate, Gizelle
Bunchem as a Gateways advisor,
an amazing air-piloting chemistry
professor and many, many life
lessons.

When I first got to school, I
spent the entire first night petrified,
clinging to my stuffed animal (yes
I still have one) because some
upperclassmen told me every
ghost story in their â&#x20AC;&#x153;lets scare the
freshman arsenalâ&#x20AC;?.
Also I was there alone because
of my early arrival.
If only I had known to savor
every petrified moment I had
that night because as my third
roommate arrived, all hell broke
loose.
It all started when my two
roommates and I went to a polite
little lunch to get to know each
other in Stadium Center. To the
horror of roomie #1 and I, roomie
#2 set her feet up on the table
â&#x20AC;&#x201C;yea the one with food on it- and
started to eat.
Then since she didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to
waste any delicious morsel of her
tuna sandwich, roomie #2 stuck

her finger into the roof of her
mouth, scraped for remnants of the
sandwich, observed it and ate it. I
will NEVER view a tuna sandwich
the same wayâ&#x20AC;Ś..or eat one.
This, however, was only the
beginning.
She had extreme anxiety over
her parents leaving so she cried the
first night-understandable--then
the second night-okay- but by the
end of the week it got downright
ridiculous. In order to get sleep I
started to make pilgrimages to tmy
friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s room in Austin Hall.
The straw that broke the
camels back however was the epic
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Orientation Issueâ&#x20AC;?. Roomie #2
liked a guy. We warned her in vein,
until one night she saw him in the
elevatorâ&#x20AC;Śenjoying his orientation
shall we say?
She took it hard and called
me. I was out so I tried to console
her via cell phone. I finally got

in. I slipped into bed and went to
sleep. A nice peaceful sleep until I
got a tap on my shoulder at 3:39 in
the morning from miss #2 asking
me for a hug.
I know this sounds crazy but I
got up and gave her my best 3:39
a.m. hug so she would just go back
to sleep.
Just when I thought that was
enough, she burst into tears so
what was I supposed to do? I
consoled her and got exactly zero
sleep that night. I went to Austin
Hall the next day to get some sleep
and make up for it.
After that we had a room
mediation session where this girl
again cried and complained about
ME of all people.
Why? You may ask?
Because I was sharp with her
for vacuuming the carpet directly
in front of my bed while I was
sleeping! Obviously it was my

behavior that was out of line so
she moved out.
This is just my warning to you
new students. If you have a crazy,
inconsiderate roommate; move out
immediately. Room changes are
here for a reason so take advantage
of them! I can now sense the
warning signs like someone crying
over the fact that you slam the
microwave door too hard.
There is a semi good ending
to this story however. The good
news for you is that she no longer
attends this school. But for me,
it was a little more complicated.
When I was chilling with my
friends in Austin a couple of nights
after the mediation and move out,
there was a knock so we got up to
answer it. I think you can guess
who took the vacant single room
next door.

What I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me As a Freshmen
By Anne Napatalung
Special to The Minaret

My first day on campus, my mom and
I ventured between my room in Mckay,
Plant Hall and the Vaughn Center collecting
maps of the city, information about local
banks, rules for my dorm, McNiff fitness

center schedules and every other piece of
information any adult in authority might
think necessary.
Over the next few weeks, I found there
was a lot more I needed to be filled in on
regarding the college world. I was fresh out
of high school and fresh out of Tennessee,
T:4â&#x20AC;?
where I had lived in the same house all of

Health
Speaking of home, let me offer you my
first piece of advice; keep in mind that your
fellow students come from every corner of
this country and globe for that matter. The
minute you enter your dorm, which houses
hundreds of wonderfully diverse students,
keep in mind that you are facing hundreds
of not so wonderfully diverse bacteria,
germs and antigens.
Eat healthy.
Granted youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve just left home and
now have the option to eat pizza, French
fries and ice cream as your three course
dinner. However, it really will make all
the difference if you help your immune
system out a little and eat as many fruits
and vegetables as possible.
Exercising really helps the body.
Not only are you keeping your body
strong and your metabolism high, but
you are spending time outside of your
dorm room.
Do not jump in the river.
I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think I have to stress this one
too much, but there are always the few
who decide to attempt this idiotic feat.
Let me reassure you that not only have I
witnessed someone jump in the river, but
as a result, I witnessed this person damage
his feet on the barnacles below, as well
as endure tetanus shots from one of our
lovely school nurses.
As for our next preventable illness,
alcohol poisoning is something many of
you should take seriously. While I am not
promoting any illegal behavior, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t
think I would be properly preparing you
for your freshman year without touching
on the subject of drinking.
I will never forget my first semester,
when my roommates and I had to spend
nights taking care of a girl we barely knew.
We dealt with numerous security guards
and explained the night to an ambulance
full of paramedics.
I want to caution all of you to be smart
about your decisions. You are away from
home and as nice as these new people
seem, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t count on anyone to take
care of you. You are living on your own
now,and if thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anything you should
learn right off the bat, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that you and only
you, are entirely responsible for yourself
in this setting.
Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be stupid, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be reckless
and if you are going to drink, make sure
you are going to respect yourself and your
actions in the morning.
Balancing school and a social life
On a lighter note, go out and get
T:7â&#x20AC;?

money. Sign
Be smart with your
Checking
up fďż˝r a Student
Third Bank
account with Fifth
in a $10,000
today. You could w
of ten
scholarship ďż˝r one
ps.
$1,000 scholarshi

my life.

to know people. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the beginning of the
semester, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve started a new chapter
in your life. Nowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the time to reinvent
yourself!
Get involved and go to sporting events.
No, we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a football team. But
guess what? We have phenomenal boys and
girls soccer teams and a beautiful stadium at
that. Our girls on the volleyball team have
acquired quite the crowd and our boys on the
baseball team host numerous fun events.
I specifically mentioned sports because I
believe students enjoy the college experience
more when there is a general air of school
spirit and sporting events really bring
everyone together. At the same time, there
are numerous clubs and organizations to get
involved with. Whatever you choose to do, I
think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s truly important to get involved!
Freshman year is not the best time
to ignore the importance of grades. If
anything, it should be the time you work
to build a strong GPA, as courses will only
continue to get harder. Trust me, those 8:30
a.m. classes will only seem to get earlier and
earlier as the semester goes on, so try to stay
on top of things from the get-go.
Also, go to Gateways! The only thing
you really have to do to pass this class is
show up, and you wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe how
many people end up failing. If you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t
even show up to a class, you might want to
re-evaluate your priorities.
When it comes to buying textbooks, buy
them online! I use Amazon, Ebay, Powellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s,
Alibris and others, and end up paying about
a quarter of what others pay for books at
the school. There are also websites which
now offer the option of renting textbooks
for a semester.
Now, onto the most important advice I
can give you as an incoming freshman. As
I said from the beginning, you are going
to meet people from all over this country
and all over the world. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to be
exposed to a lot of things you have never
seen before: accents, religions, ways of
thinking and moral choices. Have an open
mind and take it all in.
Get ready to appreciate music, cultures,
food and numerous other things you never
thought you could. If you can approach
everything with a positive outlook, you will
be better for it, I promise.
Growing up, we are told we go to
college to learn. As freshmen, you start
out assuming that you are going to learn
from textbooks. After becoming college
students, you come to find that you learn
more both from the people around you and
from yourself than anything else.

The Minaret | August 28, 2009

19

Sports

Men’s Soccer Looks to Improve After Strong Season
From “Soccer”
[Back]
nearly one-fourth of his shots
(11-48). Three of his goals were
game winners.
The roster features 11 incoming
freshmen. Among them are British
recruits Matt Davies and Dominic
Goncalves.
Miles Callahan, Portuguese
defenseman/midfielder and
Norwegian midfielder Kim Bredde,
adding further diversity to a team
which includes 31 players from 10
different countries.
Joining the Spartans along

with them is goalkeeper Diego
Pestana of Spring Hill. He will join
sophomore Tim Maline as a backup
to Thompson.
Pestana earned 14 shutouts
during his final two years at Bishop
McLaughlin Catholic School.
He became a two-time All-Pasco
County selection.
Key players not returning
to the Spartan squad are Ryan
Maxwell, the second-leading scorer
in 2008 with 25 points.
Tom Layrisse and Lee Inglis
will also not be returning to the
Spartan squad. Layriss started 10
games and Ingless was a 12-game
starter.

2008-2009 Conference Results

Tim Maline

Former UT Football Coach Hangs up his Cleats
By Kyle Bennett
Sports Editor

Former University of Tampa
football coach Dennis Fryzel had
a long lasting career as a college
and professional coach for 20
years.
Fryzel was the last football
coach at UT before the sport was
shut down. At the age of 67, he has
coached his last game.
He began his career as a defensive coordinator at UT before
becoming the head coach at age
30.
He worked with familiar
names such as Nick Saban and
Bill Parcells. Along with the Spar-

tans, Fryzel coached at Columbia
University, Williams College, Air
Force Academy, Syracuse University, Ohio State University and
the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In the late 1970s, as defensive
coordinator at Syracuse, Fryzel
hired Saban.
The duo coached together at
Ohio State before being fired in
1981.
Fryzel was born in Cleveland
in 1942. He attended Garfield
Heights High School and later
graduated from Denison University in Granville, Ohio.
In high school, Fryzel was the
captain of his high school team.
Following college graduation he

returned to coach at his alma mater for two years.
After a 20 year career as a
football coach Fryzel left to pursue a different career.
A career in commercial construction sales.
He became president of a
telecommunications company, but
instead of his employees calling
him ‘boss’, they simply called him
‘coach’.
Coach Fryzel passed away at
age 67, in his home, of renal cancer
Fryzel is survived by his wife,
two daughters and two brothers.
Kyle Bennett can be reached
at minaret.sports@gmail.com.

The University of Tampa
baseball team capped off a 40-17
2009 season with four Spartans
taken in the Major League Baseball Draft.
Three of the four ball players
have signed with their respective
organizations.
Alex Koronis, Danny Keefe
and Jose Jimenez have each signed
with their minor league clubs.
Koronis was the first Spartan to have his name called as he
was taken in the 11th round by the
home-town Tampa Bay Rays.
He will pitch in the Rookie
Appalachian League for the Princ-

eton Rays.
Keefe, taken in the 14th round
by the Chicago Cubs, has already
earned playing time with the Boise
Hawks of the Class A Short Season Northwest League.
For the second straight year
the Los Angeles Angels drafted
Jimenez. He has also earned playing time in the Arizona Rookie
League.
Carmine Giardina , taken in
the 22nd round by the Pittsburgh
Pirates, remains unsigned.
Join the Minaret Sports Staff!
Contact Kyle Bennett at minaret.sports@gmail.com

In-Depth Fantasy Football Draft Advice Live on
By Sam Gerb
Sports Blogger

The 2009 NFL season is right
around the corner and fantasy
football drafts are in full swing.
Whether you’re doing an
online draft with your friends
around the country or are huddled
up at a round table, make sure
that you step up to the line fully
prepared for the drafting ahead.
Of course, every single
season there are players with high
expectations that turn out to be
complete busts and there are those
somewhat unknown players that
emerge as the NFL’s elite.
When starting off the draft you
are going to want to make sure that
you grab a player that is from the
cream of the crop.
In order to have a successfully
functioning team it is vital that
you have a star running back. The

Peterson

Photo By vikingsfrenzy

reason for this is because there are
not that many of them out there
and if you skip on one early in the
first couple of rounds; your team
could soon be in disarray.
In this year’s draft there are
only two sure things at running
back though. You can’t go wrong
by taking Vikings’ back Adrian
Peterson or Falcons’ back Michael
Turner. The rest of the running
backs have big names attached to
them like the Chargers; LaDanian
Tomlinson, but I wouldn’t be sure
I would want them as the number
one pick on my team.
This year ’s running back
sleeper is the Chicago Bears Matt
Forte and the bust is the Panthers
DeAngelo Williams. Forte had over
1200 yards rushing and almost 500
yards receiving as well as 12 total
touchdowns.
This came in his first season
as the Bears premier running back
and I would look to him to have an
even better season coming up. With
the Bears addition of the overrated
baby Jay Cutler at quarterback,
Forte will be looked to carry the
load for the Bears all season.
And unlike many of the other
teams in the league, Forte is not
part of a double-back system so he
will be getting almost all the carries
this season.
Do not draft DeAngelo
Williams too high, please. Yes,
if you look at his stats from last
season they are mind-boggling.

He actually led all running backs
in fantasy scoring last season. But
this will not repeat itself.
Back up running back Jonathan
Stewart had almost 100 less carries
than Williams and still had 10
touchdowns. If anything Stewart
will put up better numbers this
season and that means a significant
drop in touches for Williams.
Williams will still have a
solid season; just make sure that
you don’t jump on him to early in
the draft.
When it comes to NFL wide
receivers, they are in a similar
fantasy situation as the running
back class.
There are also only two
sure players at this position, the
Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald and
the Patriots’ Randy Moss. Both of
these players are complete freaks of
nature and there isn’t a secondary in
the league that can stop these two
monsters on the field.
If you can get one of these
players in your draft you will be
happy all season, for sure. they
might even be worth more than a
running back with a big name in the
first couple of rounds.
Don’t be afraid to take these
two guys early.
Unlike running backs, there
are a plethora of wide receivers in
this year’s draft.
This year’s wide receiver
sleeper is the Bills’ Lee Evans and
the bust is the Colts’ Reggie Wayne.

Drew Brees drops back for a pass.

Photo By pnther60

Evans had a very disappointing been his entire career in Buffalo.
season last year by barely cracking
Sam Gerb can be reached at
the 1000 yard mark and amassing sgerb@ut.edu.
only three touchdowns. With the
Read the full post online
acquisition of Terrell Owens, the
defense will not be able to double
at theminaretonline.com/
team Evans anymore like he has
overtime

“Failure happens all the time. It happens every day in practice. What makes you better is how you react to it.”
-Mia Hamm

3

‘n
t
u
O
Mourning
a Loss

Cross Country: Cross
Country runner Ryan McCall
was killed at 3 a.m. on Aug.
19. “He was a great young
man,” said head coach Jarret
Slaven. “We are trying to pull
together for the family.”
McCall was a third-year
runner, participating in 11
races, as well as being named
to the Sunshine State Conference Commissioner’s Honor
Roll with a 3.67 GPA.
The exercise science major also volunteered his time
at Tampa Preparatory School.
He was a coach seeking a career in teaching and coaching.

Spartan Soccer Kicks Off the Season
By Brenton Burkett
Sports Writer

The UT men’s soccer team is
looking to improve upon an 18-4
2008 season.
This year, UT returns most
of its key players from last year’s
Sunshine State Conference runnerup team as they enter 2009 ranked
third in Division II.
Led by head coach Adrian

Volleyball: For the 12th
straight year the volleyball
team was ranked in the top
10 in the AVCA Division II
coaches poll.
Coming off a 27-5 season they are tabbed as the preseason favorite to capture the
SSC title.
Tampa received 12 of the
16 votes for the top spot.

Soccer
Wins a
Nail-Biter

See

Adrian Bush

Spiked for
Success

Bush, the Spartans return nine
starters from last year’s squad.
One of them is goalkeeper
Ryan Thompson, the 2008 SSC
Defensive Player of the Year.
He recorded eight shutouts in
his junior season and set a school
record with 15 saves in consecutive
games last October.
Also returning is leading
scorer Pascal Milien, whose 11
goals tied with Lister Warren for
the team lead. His 17 assists led
UT scorers.
He assisted the lone goal in
the team’s 1-0 exhibition victory
over the University of Central
Florida Aug. 23. The senior from
Auburndale was first-team AllSSC and is a two-time member
of the conference All-Tournament
Team.
Warren, a junior, was Tampa’s
third-leading scorer in his first year
with the team, finding the net on

“Soccer” [19]

Milien dribbles past a defender.

Photo By Kara Wall

Freshmen Team Begins Rebuilding Season
By Brenton Burkett
Sports Writer

The UT women’s soccer team
is facing the tough task of rebuilding
in 2009. Last season, they finished
13-7-2, third in the SSC.
This season’s team has just
two juniors and two seniors, and
lost its all-time leading scorer to
graduation.

Soccer: The Spartans
took on the University of Central Florida Knights in the final
pre-season exhibition match.
The contest was scoreless
until the 89th minute. Sophomore Mike Bethel scored the
lone goal of the game, assisted
by Pascal Milien.

M. Soccer

Gerry Lucey

Shelby Kuni led the Spartans
with 63 goals during her career
(2005-08), including 26 as a
sophomore.
She held the school scoring
record by the end of her junior
year, in which UT won a national
title. She tallied 23 total points as
a senior last year.
To replace Kuni and his other
graduates, coach Gerry Lucey
brought in 10 freshmen.
They include defenseman
Devin Anuzis, a transfer from
Marist College (Poughkeepsie,
N.Y.). She redshirted in 2008. Also,
midfielder Katie LaPorta, from
Bayport-Blue Point High School
(Blue Point, N.Y.).
The Spartans have redshirt
freshman midfielder Lyndsay
Murray.
Murray appeared in four
games last year before suffering a
season-ending injury.
One advantage Tampa may

W. Soccer

Aug. 29, 4 p.m.
@ Palm Beach Atlantic

Aug. 28, 4 p.m.
vs. North Georgia

>>>Following the Aug. 27 homeopener UT will travel to Palm
Beach Atlantic to take on the
Sailfish.

>>> Ranked fourth in the preseason poll, Tampa will take on
the North Georgia Saints in the
season opener.

have this year is more experience
in the net.
Goalkeepers Kendall Bourdon
and Caitlin Fox were both freshmen
in 2008.
They could be expected to
improve their play this year as
they become more adjusted to the
collegiate game.
Lucey has seven other
sophomores returning to his team.
Forward Brittan Spence leads
that group, having scored 19
goals last year, third on the team.
Midfielder Samantha Kay, who
started all 22 games as a freshman,
also comes in looking to improve
upon last season’s success.
The two juniors for UT are
midfielder Megan Tobin, a ninegame starter in 2008, and forward
Luana Miessa, a transfer from Sam
Houston State University who led
that team in scoring.
The seniors on the team are
Renata Figueira, a transfer from

Megan Tobin

Murray State, and defenseman
Saige Steinmetz.
Tampa’s womens soccer team
has an abundance of natural talent,
but lacks experience at the college
level.
For Lucey and his players, it
may be an uphill climb.
Brenton Burkett can be reached
at bburket@ut.edu

Volleyball
Aug. 28, 7:30 p.m.
vs. Wheeling Jesuit
>>> Ranked in the top 10 for
the 12th straight year, Tampa
opens the season at home in
the Tampa Classic.